Innovative Melbourne-based social networking app Wable has raised $1.5 million, led by Paul Sharbanee from Taurus Capital, to accelerate the startup’s expansion in the US and UK markets.
Described as a pioneering social networking app designed to connect the neurodivergent community for friendship, dating, jobs and support, Wable is taking on a niche global dating and social networking market that the company says is being underserved by traditional platforms.
Founded by Holly Fowler and launched in 2024, Wable was inspired by Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum star - and now Wable ambassador - Michael Theo.
Fowler, who recognised that mainstream social and dating platforms fail to meet the needs of autistic, ADHD, dyslexic and other neurodivergent individuals, set out to create a safe, inclusive and purpose-built platform for “genuine connection”.
Fowler says Wable’s unique features address the many challenges neurodivergent people can face when building relationships and connections online.
“The neurodivergent community experiences higher rates of loneliness and unemployment, and has been overlooked by traditional social and dating apps for far too long,” she says.
“Mainstream dating and friendship platforms often aren’t designed with neurodivergent communication styles, sensory needs or safety concerns in mind. This can lead to experiences that feel overwhelming, unsafe or simply unwelcoming.
“With Wable, I’ve created a space that is built by and for the neurodivergent community - a safe, inclusive environment where people can find friends, date, network and access support without fear of judgment or misunderstanding.”
Fowler says the new funding means the app can “scale faster, bring Wable to more people globally, and continue building a platform that understands and celebrates the way our community connects”.
Wable plans to use the new funding to grow its team, invest in targeted marketing campaigns and roll out a number of new product features to serve its rapidly growing global user base.
Since launch in 2024, Wable has attracted thousands of users in Australia and New Zealand and last month launched in the US and UK.
“Wable is tackling a significant gap in the market by providing a truly inclusive and safe social networking experience,” says Sharbanee, executive director of Taurus Capital.
“We believe Wable has the vision, team, and timing to become a global leader in this space.”
The Wable app is designed to make online relationship-building easier and safer for neurodivergent people.
It offers full control over the experience with customisable colour schemes for sensory preferences, an interactive Chat Wheel for fun conversation starters and robust safety measures including 18-plus age restriction, AI selfie verification, no direct photo/video messaging, no link sharing and two-factor authentication.
Users also benefit from the Toolbox, featuring counsellor-led video resources on dating and social skills, and access to community resources such as a neuroinclusive jobs board and a directory of safe, sensory-friendly venues.
Wable is promoted as providing a safe and inclusive space focused on the neurodivergent community, enabling users to find, connect and build “meaningful relationships and connections with one another”.
Wable notes that up to 20 per cent of the world’s population is neurodivergent and that the broader global dating and social networking market is worth more than US$100 billion.
Fowler was inspired to create Wable during Melbourne’s COVID lockdowns in 2020.
“While watching Love on the Spectrum, it became glaringly obvious to me that neurodivergent individuals were slipping through the cracks of modern dating and social apps, and there had to be a better way,” she says.
“I began building Wable in my spare time, bootstrapping the prototype while juggling a full-time marketing and communications role.
“That journey ultimately led to founding Wable in 2024, a platform grounded in lived experience and deep community collaboration.”
Since launching, Wable says it has already achieved multiple success stories from users finding life-changing connections, garnering viral social media and PR activity - including the newest celebrity ambassador Aesha Scott who is sharing the Wable story with her more than one million followers from Below Deck, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and The Amazing Race.
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